Darwin-mania

First of all, I didn't even know Dallas had an Irish Fest going on but we're sure glad it was since it brought Darwins large and small to our house.

Those girls are adorable! Cutest kids I've ever seen (except, of course, for the world's most adorable children ... Hannah and Rose). We really were put in mind of when Hannah and Rose were that small. Full of energy and interest in everything around them, delighted by the smallest details like our kitty napkin rings and ready to play with the dogs at the drop of a hat. The cat heard the initial excited screaming and wisely spent most of the weekend under the bed.

For a bit of contrast, Baby cruised serenely underfoot, bestowing enchanting five-tooth smiles at any who caught her eye, giggling when sisters dragged her around to "play," and glorying in times when she got all the attention because the older girls were gone watching Kiki's Delivery Service (we were glad to see that they are being given the requisite classical video training).

Needless to say this was all quite intriguing to the dogs who were much more active than usual and promptly collapsed in place, exhausted, when the car pulled away the next day.

In the meantime, around the fringes we grown-ups got to talk ... about authors, movies,and many things: "Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--Of cabbages--and kings--And why the sea is boiling hot--And whether pigs have wings." What a clever set those Darwins are ... and how very interesting to talk with!

Oh, I almost forgot. Kudos indeed to the Darwins for the way their girls behaved at Mass, As one would expect, there was wriggling, squirming, and a bit of pouting (they had been away from home for a bit after all and were tired from running with the dogs). But it never got to a level that anyone else could hear and they did us proud. The gentleman on the other side of me who was giving dubious looks when we piled into the pew next to him was smiling kindly on them by the end of the Mass. And that took a bit of doing to convert him, I can tell you. Excellent training in public behavior! Such a thing is all too rare these days. Darwins, I salute you!